


Maybe You're Too Good For Me

by AngelWithAStory



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, One Shot Collection, Pre-Canon, episode 77 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 08:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8743315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelWithAStory/pseuds/AngelWithAStory
Summary: The night before their first kiss, she stayed up until all hours.
A collection of moments between the Arcanist and the Paladin.





	

**Author's Note:**

> yo I have not been able to stop thinking about the kimallura kiss in the most recent ep and if you aren't freaking out as much as I am then I'm afraid this is not the right fic for you buddy  
> This would probably have been longer if I hadn't been out all day yesterday (D&D and a friend's 18th birthday to celebrate) and if it wasn't 3 am when I post this  
> any mistake are because it is 3am and I will try and get to them at some point
> 
> title from idfc by Blackbear because I like its vibe and I've been listening to it the whole time I've been writing this
> 
> also some of the canon in this probably isn't _quite_ right because I didn't listen to the whole series over again but oh well - take some kimallura for the soul

The night before their first kiss, she stayed up until all hours.

Their plan was coming along slowly, and they all had a bad feeling growing in their gut.

This was no longer about sacrificing their lives for the greater good.

This was trying to save the _world_.

This was serious shit and they were still so scared and unsure of themselves. Their abilities, they could rely on. It was their fragile lives that plagued them.

It had taken them all day, but just after dusk, they finalised the plans.

The others would weaken him while Allura opened the gate to the Plane of Fire and bind him to it.

A _lot_ rested squarely on her shoulders. And that was terrifying in itself.

Allura tried not to think as she paced back and forth in her room. Where she would be alone for eight hours until it was time to enact the plan. And where she had no one to talk to.

_Oh Gods this night was going to last forever._

Her room was too enclosed. Too claustrophobic. Too... _empty_ , despite all her effects littering the available surfaces.

Allura pulled her in-some-what-good-condition dressing gown (a few holes from use, a few stitched-up gashes and burns from nighttime assassination attempts) over her nightgown and left. The small pouch of spell components she kept in the pocket hit against her leg as she walked slowly. Gentle candle light flickered off the walls as Allura wandered.

Her footsteps were the only indication that anything in the building was alive and moving. Not even Drake’s loud snores managed to reach her as she walked down the familiar halls.

“Hey, Allie.”

The voice stopped her in her tracks. It was thunderous in the quiet, but it eased the tension running rife through Allura’s shoulders.

Quiet, soft footsteps grew ever so slightly and Kima slowed to a stop beside her.

As far as she knew, the rest of the building was asleep. As far as she cared, they were the only two souls left awake in the whole world.

“Hello, Kima.”

Allura’s voice was somehow too loud, too unassertive, too calm for this time of night. But Kima still smiled.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” Kima tucked her hands into an oversized jacket that Allura had a vague feeling was actually one of the other’s and kept pace as they both began to walk.

“No.” Allura could feel Kima’s eyes on her and felt an inkling of something unidentifiable in the back of her mind.

There was silence for a while again. Twin pairs of footsteps - one softer, one more cautious - echoed off the walls. The softer pair stopped in front of window and the cautious stopped beside them. Candle light reflected off the glass and almost flickered out when a cold breeze washed over them.

“It’s weirdly pretty here.” Kima said quietly, looking out the opened window. Allura realised with a start that she wasn’t looking at the mountains anymore. That they were in fact looking at _each other_.

“It is.” Allura agreed, forcing herself to look away. She looked at the candle. It was flickering violently as the cold air hit it.

“Hey, Allie?” Kima’s voice was quiet. Concerned. Allura looked up and saw the harsh shadows cast over the lines on her face. “It’s okay to be scared for tomorrow, you know.”

“I know that, Kima.” Allura said, looking once again over the mountains. “But I shouldn’t be. If I’m scared- If I can’t pull myself together tomorrow then we will fail. Then Thordak won’t be bound to the Plane of Fire. Then we’ll all _die_. I can’t allow that to happen.”

Her hands rested on the window pane and she could feel them shaking. It didn’t matter if it was from cold or fear or anger. She clenched her hands but the shaking continued.

Kima’s hand was warm and small when she covered Allura’s. Allura could see the open and honest expression on Kima’s face and it _hurt_. It hurt to see someone so fierce and beautiful and so full of life looking at her in concern.

“Kima-” Allura began, already drawing back but Kima held on. Not forcefully. Enough for Allura to stop. Enough for Allura to look Kima in the eye and to really _look_ at her.

Messy hair hanging down her back, unrestrained. Well-worn pyjamas hidden under the large stolen coat. Big bright eyes with dark circles under them looking up at her with a worry there that seemed to follow her after every battle and after every bad night.

“We’re not going to die, Allie.” Kima’s voice was gentle enough for the candle not to flicker. “We’re going to wake up tomorrow, lure that bastard Thordak to us and then you’re going to be the biggest badass in history and this Plane of Existence will be rid of him forever.”

She gave the smallest nod. The conviction there was almost enough to sway her, but Allura knew that there were so many things that could go wrong and so many variables and so many people that could fall.

Allura’s gaze fell to the floor between them. She realised that Kima had shoes on while her feet were bare.

“Kima, out of curiosity, what were you doing up?” Allura asked after a decade of mulling over the words in her head.

“I was hoping to speak to you before tomorrow.” Kima admitted, a rueful smile on her face.

“Why?”

“Because I’m terrified as well.”

Allura actually laughed at that. And the laugh felt as warm as Kima’s hand when she took a deep breath and let the anxiety escape her lungs. When she looked back down, Kima was smiling at her and Allura pulled her closer suddenly, crouching down so she could hold her. Kima’s hands dug into her shoulders and Allura buried her face into Kima’s neck.

Allura let herself be lulled by Kima’s heartbeat against hers, by the suspicious warmth of the perpetually present holy symbol that was cradled between them, by the gentle hands bunching up her dressing gown, by _her._ By _Kima._

They both pulled away at the same time and looked at each other. The candle flickered ever more violently. The cold drifted in ever stronger.

Allura touched Kima’s face, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Kima’s hands lingers on the shoulder’s of Allura’s dressing gown.

Something electric hung in the air between them. Something unspoken and _charged_ that had followed them for longer than either had acknowledged or admitted.

Something like magic.

Kima’s eyebrows drew pinched when Allura’s eyes flickered down to her mouth.

“ _Fuck this_.” Kima muttered. Her hands clenched tight and pulled Allura close.

The candle flickered out.

…

….

……

“ _May I?_ ”

Kima’s holy symbol began to glow with a gentle light and Allura’s fingers lingered on it before she drew away.

They looked at each other for a heartbeat before they both laughed, hard enough for Allura to almost fall backwards if not for Kima keeping her steady.

“How has it taken us this long to do that?” Allura asked, resting her forehead against Kima’s.

“I guess we’ve never had the right moment.” Kima said, her eyes closed and a blush high on her cheeks. “Hey, can we do that again? It was pretty fun.”

Allura laughed and kissed Kima again, cupping her face as Kima’s arms encircled her.

“We should get some sleep soon.” Allura said, smiling at the expression on Kima’s face. She stood but she kept Kima’s hand in hers. “I hope it’s not too forwards to ask for some company with it.”

Kima beamed and squeezed Allura’s hand.

 

***

 

When Kima awoke after the battle, she felt Allura’s gentle hands drifting from the deep wound in her gut.

It took a few blinks for the colour to return to the world, and when it did Kima heard the silence.

There was nothing on the battlefield but bodies or burns. The giant tear in the fabric of reality had been stitched up and the claw marks on the ground proved that Thordak had been dragged kicking and screaming into it. Sunlight was blazing down on them and Kima could see familiar bodies and familiar allies lying burnt and bloody on the ground. Unmoving.

She felt sick.

Kima sat up finally and looked at Allura. She saw Drake a little distance away, sat up and in the same state as her. She saw Allura sat on the ground beside her. Her arms were folded over her knees and she was hanging her head.

For once, for _once_ \- Kima realised with a deep horror -  Allura hair was messy.

One of her plaits had been burned badly; charred and broken off and much shorter than the other, which was falling out of the careful twists Allura always held them in.  

Her clothes were scared and smoky.

The woman who sat before Kima... The woman who ended this battle was not the same woman who started it.

Kima reached out towards her, one hand holding her stomach. The cool gauntlet helped with the burns that were still healing from Allura’s spell. Allura flinched under Kima’s touch but Kima still forced herself to her knees rested her forehead against Allura’s.

“We did it.”

The words were hollow from Kima’s mouth, but she still said them. It still needed to be said.

“They died. They died for this.” Allura’s voice was hoarse with ash. She coughed and Kima could feel her shaking.

“I know, Allie.”

“Kima,” Allura’s voice cracked but she carried on. “Tell me honestly; do you think it was worth it? All of this?”

“I know it was.” Kima said, barely hesitating.

“If I had died in this battle, would it have been worth it?”

Kima took longer to answer.

“I- Yes.” Kima faltered but her grip on Allura strengthened. “But I would never been the same. I would have mourned for you much harder than the others, Allie. I would never have let your memory fade.”

Allura nodded and finally looked up. Tears cut tracks in the soot on her face, from relief or grievance it wasn’t quite clear.

“If I had lost you just now, Kima,” Allura said, her voice growing calmer as the shock wore off, “then this battle would not have been worth it to me.”

Kima laughed and suddenly lurched forwards, throwing her arms around Allura’s neck. The action almost threw them both to the ground but Allura’s arms tightened around Kima in turn.

“But we’re _alive_.” Kima whispered, promised. “We’re alive, Allie. We did it, we’re alive.”

She said that over and over until she felt Drake’s hand on their backs and they all held each other in silence.

It took the sunset for them to stand up and leave.

 

***

 

“They offered us positions on the Council.”

“I know.”

“But you’re still leaving?”

“I still have business to do, Allie. I can’t stay. But I’ll keep in touch. And, hey, I heard something about plans for a tower or something for you. That’s _serious_ business Allie.”

“But you’re leaving Emon.”

“Bahamut's work is never done.”

“Promise me you’ll keep in touch, Kima.”

“I’ll keep in touch, Allie. I promise.”

“. . . .”

“. . . .”

“I love you, Kima. I hope you know that.”

“I love you too, Allie. And I always will.”

“I won’t hold you to that, you know.”

_I hope you do._

 

***

 

The Chroma Conclave declared a war on the world and by the time Allura made it to Whitestone, the world was already dying.

Westruun was under the thrall of a Black Dragon and they had barely made it out undetected. The Cobalt Reserve was in ruins and they and they had barely taken anything of use before they had to leave.

But when they streak into Whitestone, Allura feels something akin to relief wash over her. Drake released her arm and they both shared a look. A look that people who had looked death in the eye only to look again could share.

The look passed and Drake smiled.

“Chin up, Allura,” Drake said, his voice loud and jovial in the unfamiliar city, “things can only get worse from here.”

For the first time in a while, Allura laughed. It drew a few eyes but neither paid much attention.

“Your optimism never fails to comfort.” Allura said. She pulled herself back into the visage of the diplomat she had perfected over the last fifteen years and drew her overcloak closer. The weather was not all that forgiving compared to Westruun.

“Well I _suppose_ we should see young Cassandra then. Maybe Vox Machina’s here.” Drake said, suppressing his own chill, just for a moment.

“I suppose that would be wise.” Allura agreed, allowing them to set off up the familiar path to Whitestone Castle.

Cassandra was glad to see them, to say the least.

The War Room around them had a few Whitestone natives and two unfamiliar people that Allura didn’t know of recognised, and who were watching them curiously.

“Allura, I’m very glad to see you alive and well.” Cassandra said, the similar formalities and inflections reminding her of Percival. It still pained her to see someone so young with such a heavy world on her shoulders. But she was coping for now, and that was all that could be asked of her.

“I can say the same to you,” Allura said, folding her hands in front of her. “Drake and I come baring what we could salvage from the Cobalt Reserve. Though now, I fear that this may need to take second place to the protection of the city.”

“So you know? About the Chroma Conclave?” Cassandra asked, her young eyes darkening for a moment.

“Yes. We stopped in Emon before heading to Westruun the night after the dragons attacked.” Allura admitted, drawing her shoulders back to keep herself calm. “But we left before Vox Machina fled and have not returned, so we don’t know the exact state of the city as it stands now.”

She saw Drake engaging the two new faces in conversation, out of the corner of her eye. The Tiefling was glancing her way curiously every few seconds.

“Still, it’s good that you arrived here safely.” Cassandra said, drawing Allura’s attention once more. “A lot of refugees from Whitestone have arrived and are either being cared for or are helping in whatever way they can.”

“Any news of the Sovereign Uriel or the council?” Allura asked, bracing herself for the bad news.

“His wife and children are here.” Cassandra said. But what she didn’t say was what hurt. Still, Allura nodded. “A man named Gilmore was brought here as well by my brother and his friends. He’s been helping with the Ziggurat underneath the castle as well.”

“Gilmore?” Allura repeated.

“Yes, are you familiar with him?” Cassandra looked curious now, in her childish way.

“Familiar with him, yes. I’ve had a few discussions with him in his shop over the years.” Allura admitted. “Any others? Seeker Assume or Tofor perhaps?”

“Neither of them, I’m afraid.” Cassandra looked over the room. “Though we have had a few new additions. Kashaw and Zahra arrived here not too long ago from Vasselheim, apparently they’re friends of my brother’s.” She waved them over and Allura watched as they approached, Drake in tow.

Allura suddenly felt all her years come at once when she looked at the scars on Kashaw’s arms and the bags under Zahra’s eyes. They were so young, and they reminded her of her own party so much she felt the ache in her chest once more.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I assume that Vasselheim hasn’t changed.” Allura said, dutifully shaking their hands. She noticed Zahra’s tail flicking idly behind her and Kashaw’s weary gaze taking in everything about her.

“Well it’s still standing, if that’s what you’re asking.” Kashaw said. The tone in his voice made Allura smirk.

“Yes, that was what I was asking.” Allura said. “Still, it’s good to hear.”

“Excuse me, but you’re the Allura that Kima talks about, correct?” Zahra said, leaning in slightly and a small smile on her face. That caught her off guard.

“Pardon?”

As if on cue, the door to the War Room opened and slammed against the wall.

All eyes were drawn to the armour-clad figure standing in the doorway. Allura turned and felt several gazes burning on the back of her head.

 _Kima_.

Alive. Well. Her hair a mess and her armour slightly scuffed. Her maul still by her side, though it clattered to the ground when her gaze met Allura’s.

It had been months since they had met. Months since they had spoken face to face. Weeks since they’d known if the other was alright.

Too long.

If time had stopped, then it snapped to attention and suddenly Kima was rushing forwards and Allura was rushing to meet her. Allura crouched as Kima jumped to meet her.

The embrace was hard enough to almost dent her armour and Allura sank to her knees. Kima’s hand gripped her head. Allura never wanted to let go.

“ _Keyleth told me you and Drake were in Westruun but I didn’t know if you’d get here or if you’d try to go back to the shitshow that is Emon-_ ”

“Kima, it’s alright. We’re alive.”

Kima laughed and her grip tightened.

 

***

 

“They made it back in one piece,” Kima said idly, propping her maul by the bedroom door as she closed it behind them. Allura was stood in front of a mirror, running her hands through her hair. It fell out of its plaits as soft as snowfall and fell around Allura’s shoulders, occasionally catching the candlelight.

“So they did,” Allura agreed, watching Kima in the reflection of the mirror. “They might just save the world at this rate.”

“Let’s not go crazy, now.” Kima teased, but she knew it was true deep in her gut. She saw Allura smile in the mirror as she unclasped her jewelry and placed it in a small wooden box. The nape of her neck was visible through the part in her hair and the neckline of her dress creased as she hunched to reached.

Kima shook herself from her thoughts and began to pull the clothes she wore to dinner off. The golden dress had been dumped on the floor and Kima suddenly felt guilt run through her.

“Sorry about the dress, by the way.” She said, picking it up and folding it haphazardly. She still dumped it in one of the dresser’s drawers and pushed it shut. Allura laughed as she reached for the fasteners on her dress.

“I appreciate the effort, but I should have known better in your defence.” Allura admitted, getting the easier fastenings and desperately reaching for the ones higher up her back. “You’ve always had a special hatred for dresses.”

“Damn right I have.” Kima said reflexively, stripping down to her underclothes and kicking the laundry away from the bed. “I mean, can you blame me when I’m standing next to _you_ in a dress?”

Allura looked over her shoulders at Kima with a smile on her face and the slightest blush across her cheeks.

“You looked just as fine in that dress, don’t pretend otherwise.” Allura said, sighing in frustration as the last fastening evaded her. A little chuckle reached her from Kima and she huffed ever so slightly.

“Come here, Allie, I’ve got it.” Kima said, climbing on the bed and kneeling. Allura gathered her hair over her shoulder and stepped closer so Kima could help. The last fastening fell away easily under Kima’s fingers and she gently ran her hands along Allura’s arms, guiding the fabric away. The dress fell to the floor and Allura began cleaning up the stray items of clothing in the room.

Kima watched her with an odd feeling in her chest. Cassandra had barely raised an eyebrow when Kima said that Allura could stay with her, much less when Allura agreed. They’d shared a house and bed since Allura had arrived. They had cooked meals together, cleaned the house together, slept in each other’s arms. It was _nice_. Domestic.

Kima couldn’t help but wondering why it took dragons descending upon the world for them to be this way.

The more she thought about it, the more that Kima’s mind wandered. If Thordak had never been a problem fifteen years ago, would they have ever met? Would they have ever fallen for each other? If Thordak hadn’t been freed would they have ever rekindled?

Sure, Kima visited Allura’s tower, and Allura had visited Westruun. But something had changed in their time apart. Not fundamentally, not irreparably. Enough for the lingering hugs and conversations over cups of tea to ache and make her _yearn_. Enough for Allura to send Vox Machina after her into the Underdark when she was worried.

Enough for them to still be drawn to each other.

Why had it taken the world breaking for them to realise they wanted to be with the other as much as possible?

“You can stop staring, Kima.” Allura said, a smile on her face as the clothes sorted themselves with no physical assistance from her.

“Nope.” Kima said, flopping down on the pillows dramatically and letting her eyes follow Allura as she slipped her nightgown on and climbed under the sheets. “‘Fraid I can’t do that Allie.”

“I’m sure you can try.”

“I can try and try but I just can’t take my eyes off of you.” Kima grinned as Allura rolled her eyes.

“Well I hope it doesn’t keep you up while I go to sleep.” Allura said, her hair shrouding her.

“Alright, I get it.” Kima said, crawling under the sheets and immediately settling against Allura. A pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her ever closer. A whisper reached Kima’s ear in a language she didn’t understand and the candles extinguished. “Night Allie.” Kima whispered.

“Goodnight Kima.” Allura said, stifling a yawn as she settled back into the pillows and letting herself fall asleep.

But Kima didn’t sleep.

The thoughts were running through her head too fast to let them settle.

If they hadn’t started adventuring together all those years ago, would they be where they are now? Would they have even _met?_ Would Kima have met someone else that made her heart flutter even when she wasn’t around? Would Allura have? Or would she have dedicated her life to anything and everything Arcane with no time otherwise?

And if they _had_ met, would they have even liked each other? Would they have loved each other?

Whitestone was a temporary home, but Allie was here so that made up for a lot, didn’t it? Why did Kima bask so much in the simple, domestic moments between them? The way Allura would use mage hand to cook breakfast, or to brew tea with Shaun, or how she would tell Kima not to bring her maul to the table when they ate, or how she would ask Kima to help her with her dress in the morning and evening.

It was so little. So forgettable. But Kima loved it.

The thoughts kept her awake long enough for her eyes to burn and for Allura’s gentle breath and steady heartbeat to lull her into some form of sleep.

At least until the window slid open and Kima blearily saw a figure with a knife standing over Allura.

 _Oh_ how she enjoyed beating the shit out of that guy together.

 

***

 

Allura was in her borrowed room when someone knocked at the door. It broke her reverie and she opened it to see a particularly uneasy soldier outside her room.

“Hello, is something wrong?” Allura’s mind suddenly went to a million bad circumstances but the guard just shook his head.

“No, there’s someone at the front gate that is demanding to see you.” The guard said. Allura frowned.

Xanthias had arrived the day before, asking to speak with Allura once his refuge had been granted. Another person so soon? Someone from Emon perhaps?

But Allura nodded and drew herself together.

“Of course. Lead the way.” Both Ellie and Vox Machina seemed to think that a guard was appropriate for such a _delicate_ Arcanist like her (though it seemed to be more the Captain’s idea). Almost as if she _hadn’t_ help lock Thordak away the first time and _couldn’t_ possibly protect herself. As if she _wasn’t_ on the Tal’dorei council and as if she _wasn’t_ a member of the Arcana Pansophical.

Still, the fact she didn’t know her way around the Fort made her digress.

The Captain was by the front gate and before she could even see who was there, Allura felt her chest lighten. The voice that was currently arguing with the soldiers was familiar enough for her to smile.

“You know her?” The soldier escorting her asked, watching her reaction curiously.

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Allura said, holding the edge of her skirt up ever so slightly as they walked.

The voice only grew louder as they approached and Ellie looked almost relieved when she saw Allura.

“Tell me, do you know this person?” No greeting, but Allura could forgive that under the circumstances.

“Rest assured, I do. This is Lady Kima. She’s a close and entrusted friend of mine.” Allura said, watching Kima argue. Admittedly, this was her when restrained. The Captain nodded, not really taking her eyes off Kima either.

“Any reason she would be here?”

“I assume that she knew of the plan and wanted to lend her aid.” Allura said, clasping her hands together in front of her.

“Any reason to distrust her?” The Captain asked.

“None at all.”

“Very well.” She turned to the soldiers beside the gate. “LET HER IN!”

The shouting stopped and Allura watched the soldiers part and Kima to make a beeline towards her.

“And _you_!” Kima started, as if wishing to carry on her argument. “You guys have _got_ to stop leaving me behind when you do crazy shit like this! You made a whole plan and didn’t think to bring me along? _Big_ mistake! And if you think that I’m letting you out of my sight since that assassination attempt, then you are the dumbest brainiac out there Allura Vysoren!”

“If I recall, you left me to go kill a white dragon.” Allura said cooly, an amused expression on her face.

“That was different and you know it!” Kima shot back. “You were safe and those idiots needed me! I’m okay with them bringing _me_ along but taking you somewhere dangerous without telling? No, I’m calling bullshit on that!”

“Kima, nothing has happened. And as you can see, I am perfectly safe here, regardless.” Allura said. She could see the worry underpinning the fear and how Kima wasn’t glaring at her despite the angry facade.

“Still, next time you _tell_ me you’re going somewhere with those dipshits, okay?”

“Okay.” Allura said, a small laugh in her voice.

The Captain cleared her throat and both women looked at her.

“I assume that you plan on staying for the duration of this plan, Lady Kima?” Ellie said, an odd and amused note in her voice.

“Hell yeah! I’m not going to let them have all the fun.” Kima said, balancing her maul on her shoulder. Ellie nodded and turned to another one of the soldiers.

“Have a room prepared for-”

“Actually, that won’t be necessary,” Allura chipped in. “I’m sure Kima will be alright with sharing my room. No need to put any further strain on resources.”

An odd look passed over her face, but the Captain didn’t say anything. She simply nodded.

“Alright then.” And she turned away to rejoin her soldiers.

Kima bumped Allura with her shoulder.

“I’m still annoyed,” Kima said, marching in the general direction of the the Fort. Allura just followed, gazing lazily over the soldiers running drills and the trebuchet that lay in wait.

“I know, Kima.”

“Do you know what I had to do to get here?”

“Talk to Shaun and get him to agree to transport you here?”

“Yes!”

Allura laughed and Kima looked at her. The anger had faded from her form, but she knew that it was rooted in fear. Seeing Allura alive and well must have satiated it somewhat.

“Come, I’m sure I need to catch you up somewhat.”

The night passed uneventfully and Kima watched Allura grow very slightly more anxious. Vox Machina were meant to arrive back at any time from the Plane of Fire, and hopefully with another Vestige that would fell the Cinder King.  

That night Kima watched Allura pace before they fell asleep, doing her best to soothe her.

The next day, the Captain did ask if Kima wished to help with the training drills. See if she could handle the men. Kima had almost laughed at the challenge.

The downside was that it left Allura with very little to do but do some reading in her room.

Almost before noon, someone knocked at the door.

It couldn’t have been Kima - she wouldn’t have bothered to know. It was too light to be one of the soldiers.

Carefully, Allura closed the book and stood. She wasn’t weary of whoever was behind the door, but old habits had a tendency to die hard.

She almost breathed in relief when she saw Xanthias on the other side. But she caught herself.

“Lady Vysoren, sorry to bother you,” Xanthias said. He was cleaned up now and dressed in whatever spare clothes they had.

“It’s no bother, Xanthias.” Allura assured him. “What is the problem?”

“I have something sensitive I wish to talk to you about.” Xanthias said, looking slightly twitchy. “About the state of Emon.”

“Should I call-?”

“No! No, I fear you may be the only one who can help.” Xanthias said. Allura simply nodded and stepped aside to let him in. He shut the door behind him and she busied herself with organising all the various papers and books she had already scattered around the room.

“Now, Xanthias, what did you wish to speak about?” Allura said, placing the tome she had been reading on the desk and turning to face him.

A wooden wand was aimed at her face and Allura didn’t have a moment to begin a spell before she felt it.

Something cold washed over her. _Invading_ her. It clung to her mind and she let out a whimper as suddenly nothing made sense.

This man in the room - _Xanthias_ \- was standing over her. The ground was cold underneath her. The desk was above her. Xanthias was cursing, muttering to himself over the broken thing in his hand.

He looked at her and left.

Allura was alone.

This room was unfamiliar.

She could hear shouting outside.

The door opened and Allura felt something positive.

_“Allie? Holy shit, Allie, what’s wrong?”_

_Kima!_

Kima was good.

Kima was a friend.

Kima wouldn’t hurt her.

Kima was in front of her.

 _“Allie, look at me. Look at me, it’s okay.”_ Kima said. She was touching Allura’s hair and speaking softly. _“What’s wrong? What happened, Allie?”_

Allura tried to speak, but words didn’t exist. She couldn’t, she _couldn’t_.

Kima’s face fell and she turned to the door.

 _“Fuck! FUCK!”_ Kima petted Allura’s hair again, holding her close before she went still.

_“Ellie, where’s Xanthias?”_

A horn sounded in the air.

Allura held onto Kima.

_“Allie, listen to me, Allie, I need to go.”_

Allura shook her head but Kima helped her to her feet.

_“No, Allie I have to go. I want you to stay here, okay? Stay here and stay safe. I’ll do everything I can to help you, but you need to stay here, okay?”_

Kima pulled Allura down and kissed her gently.

_“Stay here, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”_

Allura watched Kima leave and shut the door.

She didn’t know what to do.

Everything here seemed _off_ , seemed _wrong_.

Allura curled herself up on the chair and she waited, her eyes trained on the door. Waiting for Kima.

Just as she promised.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [queenmoggy](http://queenmoggy.tumblr.com/) on tumblr if you want to also freak out about the kimallura kiss  
>  
> 
> fun note: this was called 'fire the canons' in my google docs


End file.
